Enrolling Before Hearing Back From Another School

I was deferred from my first choice and won’t get my admission decision until April. I have figured out my second choice though (the college I’ll be going to if I get rejected in April) and the deadline to enroll isn’t until May 1st. However, I am considering enrolling and then canceling it if I get into my 1st choice due to housing and orientation (priority couse selection). My 2nd choice school actually allows you to pick your dorm and room; as it is rolling admission, students have been selecting housing since December. Is enrolling now unethical and could my 1st choice find out about it? It’s likely I will be going to my 2nd choice and if I wait until April only the worst dorms and orientation dates will be left.

You will forfeit you deposit at your second choice school if you do not attend.

My parents and I decided giving up the deposit would be worth the benefit of getting good housing and class registration. I’m more concerned with the ethics aspect of it and whether my first choice school can find out about it.

It is not a problem. As long as you withdraw from the school you deposited to when you deposit at another school you are fine.

Agree. It is not unethical as long as you withdraw from school two’s acceptance before sending in the acceptance to school one. You will likely lose your school two deposits, though. (My personal opinion is that school two is unethical – they should not require deposits to choose or prioritize housing or courses prior to May 1 – but some schools do it)